June 23, 2009

Alice in Wonderland

As a child, one of my favourite things to do was to curl up and listen to "Alice in Wonderland". Our parents had friends who owned Caedmon Records, which was one of the first companies to record notable writers reading their own works. We had a recording of Stanley Holloway reading "Alice in Wonderland" and before I could really read, I would listen to this.

Once I learned to read, I did read Alice, and loved the illustrations by Sir John Tenniel and remember them as the classic drawings. When I visited Oxford England many years later, we visited a friend who lived next door to the shop where the real Alice lived.

I recently heard that Tim Burton is remaking Alice in Wonderland with Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen, Anne Hathaway as the White Queen and an unknown Australian actress as Alice.

I am so, so excited about this!! Alice in Wonderland is definitely my favorite story (still is). I also love Johnny Depp so much and can't wait to see him in this. Of course, I know he will be perfect:)

It will be intersting to see if he goes the very dark route of his past or a more whimsical path like his recent Willie Wonka.How lucky to have that record to listen over & over!!! It still would be fun for a cross country trip.

I watched a British/TV version (I think) of Alice when I was in Paris on DVD with my friends son and it was fantastic! Whoopi was the Cheshire Cat - the cast also included Ben Kingsley, Christopher Lloyd, Pete Postlethwaite, and Miranda Richardson.

I can't wait! I just rewatched the old cartoon version this winter, and I think Burton is the perfect person to do a new film version. Just that photo of Helena Bonham Carter says it all, and didn't Johnny Depp play the author a few years back? Just hope they don't get too creepy. I think my favorite part of the book was the Walrus reciting poetry. Might have to reread it this summer, if I can find a copy with the original drawings.

Also one of my favs, natch! I have a large collection of Alice in Wonderland Christmas tree ornaments that I cherish. Annnd... my original Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass from when I was a child. XXOO

I loved the illustratioins of the book when I was a kid too. Tom Petty's video kind of freaked me out when it came out... oh god? late 80s? yikes! But like everyone else, I am curious to see this new movie. I do like Tim Burton's work -- it's like a weird dream and you are not certain where you are...

Hey Pigtown, I have seen you around @ Style Redux 2, but I googled adler alice ornaments, and found this post of yours from last summer. Love it! I just made a new blog all about Alice, if you'd care to take a look at Cabbages and Kings. Seems like you're a fan! xo kitty

About Me

Pigtown Design is the musings of Meg Fairfax Fielding, a Baltimore-based writer, photographer and fund-raiser, who explores design, architecture, culture, and current events in Baltimore and around the world.